Early Breakfast withRelebogile Mabotja

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says that a blanket fee subsidy for university students may not be the best solution to varsity funding challenges.

He explains that role players have to find a balance between helping poor students without giving privileged students unfair favour.

The unintended consequences was that rich companies and parents were exempted from the fee increase... you can't have a blanket [subsidy] for poor kids and rich kids.

— Blade Nzimande, Higher Education Minister

Institutions saw a 0% fee increase this year after nationwide student protest, and now student bodies await to see if the same policy will be implemented again in 2017.

Amid ongoing talks with various stakeholders, including student groups and the Council On Higher Education, Nzimande explains that the plan is to regulate the fee increment system across all universities.

He has also highlighted the important role of TVET (formerly FET) colleges in relieving the burden on the university sector.

The system is very unequal, especially at historically disadvantaged institutions because of the students they deal with.

— Blade Nzimande, Higher Education Minister

He says that he hopes consultation will be concluded by the end of August to determine the fee policy for next year.